


Arranged

by Crypticbeliever123



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Sailor!Leonard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-03-12 13:27:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13548288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crypticbeliever123/pseuds/Crypticbeliever123
Summary: Leonard and Sara have been in love with each other for years, both thinking the other didn't know they existed. When Sara's father arranges for them to be married will it be happily ever after or will there be stormy seas ahead?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter will most likely wind up being longer than the ones to follow it so please do not be disappointed by shorter chapters ahead.
> 
> Also this is set in roughly the 1870s.

Leonard Snart was barely ten when he fell in love. It was a day like any other. His father had just gotten through beating him over one thing or another and it sent Leonard running into the woods for safety. With his eyes blurred by his tears he didn’t notice the tree root until he tripped over it sending him tumbling down a hill into the river. His father being the neglectful bastard that he was had yet to teach him how to swim and began to drown, flailing helplessly in the water. He had passed out and saw white.

 

When he came to he was coughing up water and saw a pair of bright blue eyes starting back at him. As his savior came into focus he could see it was a girl a couple of years younger than him with hair as golden as the sun. She was smiling at him in such a way it almost felt like she cared about him.

 

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I-” Leonard tried to say before hearing his father’s voice booming in the distance, however unclear the words may have been.

 

Leonard took off running off back into the forest to get away, a feat made harder by his soaked clothing weighing him down. He felt bad about running without thanking the girl for saving his life but if his father caught him he’d only be in more trouble. However, he swore that once he was out of danger he would find the girl and thank her for the rescue.

 

He located her the next day and was horrified to see her getting harassed by the schoolyard bullies, Samuel Scudder and Rosalind Dillon. He was just about to step in to repay her for what she had done for him when he saw her punch Samuel hard in the face. Rosalind made an attempt to slap the girl, but she caught Rosalind’s hand and flipped her over onto her back as Samuel held his face moaning from the pain; must’ve hurt.

 

Samuel and Rosalind took off running vowing to get back at her for it, but Leonard wasn’t worried. With how she had saved him and the way she just stood up to Scudder and Dillon he had no doubt that she could more than handle herself in a fight. It was by far the most impressive thing he had ever seen by man or woman. The fact that she had done all she had at such a young age only made her that more astounding.

 

She was coming up the lane toward him but instead of walking up to her to thank her he found himself ducking behind a corner. All of a sudden, his heart was pounding in his chest and he had a hard time being able to breathe as if he had forgotten how to take in air. What was this feeling? Why was it exhilarating and terrifying all at once? Why was it so foreign to him he found himself unable to think of its name? What was this strange new feeling… and why did it bring a smile to his face when he looked upon her?

 

As time passed he managed to learn her name; Sara Lance. He grew from a scared little boy into a fine young man. He became the Captain of a merchant ship all his own, sailing the seas, trading various goods across the world. He had grown to possess such nerve and daring that most pirates feared him and people far and wide, from country to country knew him to be a man one dared not cross.

 

Yet, still despite this reputation of fearlessness he couldn’t bring himself to speak to her let alone thank her for saving him. For he was a weak and cowardly man who got so flustered just thinking of talking to her that actually speaking with her seemed like a hopeless dream. Why did he have to be so afraid? Why was he so weak? How could he ever hope to win her heart when no woman would ever want a weak, pathetic coward for a husband?

 

The only thing he could do was admire her from afar and sketch her likeness into his journals over and over again, daydreaming about her non-stop, wishing for the strength to one day speak to her. But for now he was weak and spineless, a man with no hopes of impressing Sara the way she had him, a man doomed to be alone.

 

“Just ask her to accompany you to the ball!” his sister Lisa insisted.

“Are you mad, sister? There is no way in hell that Sara Lance would ever agree to accompany me. Surely, she would prefer someone better, someone stronger, more handsome, more kind and generous,” Leonard argued, tired of his sister’s meddling with his non-existent love life after a decade of pining over Sara.

“Leonard, you are a wonderful man whom any girl would be lucky to have and to hold. Michael, tell him,” Lisa said, gesturing to the burly man downing a bottle of bourbon as he sat against a tree.

“Yeah, yeah, real lucky. Boss is quite a catch,” Michael replied as he took another sip of booze; Leonard was certain his best-friend and business partner wasn’t paying the slightest bit attention to their conversation.

“Lisa, you need to let go of this. I am never going to have the courage to speak to her and besides, this is her first ball since her family has returned from their trip to California. She deserves to have her night be special, to be spent with someone whose company she would actually enjoy.”

“She _would_ enjoy your company!”

“No she wouldn’t, she-” Leonard trailed off as he saw Sara coming down the lane toward the shops.

“Oh Leonard, you’re staring again,” Lisa mocked in a sing-song voice.

 

He ignored her, eyes fixated on Sara, the love of his life and the only woman who could ever catch his eye, as she looked at some apples a vendor was selling when who else but Oliver Queen should come up to tap her on the shoulder.

 

“Oh great, it’s the rich boy,” Michael remarked.

“Quiet Michael. What are they saying?” Leonard asked.

“I can find out,” Lisa replied as she moved closer.

“No wait- ugh!”

“You want me to accompany you to the ball this Saturday?” Lisa heard Sara ask Oliver when she got close enough.

“Yes. What do you say? I promise to be a perfect gentleman the entire evening,” Oliver replied.

“I… uh yeah sure. That sounds- that sounds good. Yeah,” Sara replied a weak smile.

“Excellent. I shall arrive at your home to escort you to the ball no later than seven in the evening,” Oliver responded with a wide smile as he brought Sara’s hand to his lips.

“Until then,” he added, taking his leave.

 

Lisa then marched back over to her brother in a huff.

 

“Well?” Leonard asked.

“Oliver has asked her to accompany _him_ to the ball and she has said yes.”

“Damn. Sorry Leonard,” Michael replied.

“It is alright. It wasn’t like I was ever going to ask her anyhow. This is good. I am sure she will have a lovely time with Oliver,” Leonard responded in a disheartened tone.

“Lenny.”

“I am fine Lisa. Now if you’ll excuse me I would like to return to my ship,” Leonard said as he left for his ship, the only place he truly called home, to mope over the pain his love for Sara causes him at times like these.

 

* * *

 

 

Sara Lance was the mere age of seven when she first felt butterflies in her stomach. She was such a kind-hearted young girl, the kind who nursed birds back to health. One day she saw a lovely little yellow bird and followed it all the way across town out toward the woods, toward a small cabin. She was so happy to follow the bird it wasn’t until she heard a scream come from the cabin that the smile on her face faded.

 

The scream sounded like that of a girl not much younger than Sara herself. She cautiously approached the cabin and peered her eyes through the window to the sight of a young girl, maybe four cowering on the floor in tears before a large man with his hands balled into fists. The man was screaming at the girl, something about spilling milk on freshly cleaned clothes. Sara was terrified when the man raised his fist at the other girl.

 

Then she saw a boy rush inside from the backdoor toward the man, stepping in between him and the little girl. The boy didn’t even look to be ten yet and there he was standing up to someone more than twice his size. The man, his father supposedly, simply pushed him aside. However, the boy pulled the man’s arm to try and stop him only to receive a fist to the face instead. The punch had knocked the boy to the floor, but he got up as his father moved to attack his daughter once again. The boy tried to pull the man away from his little sister only to be knocked to the floor again, receiving kicks to the side in addition.

 

Sara cringed away at the sight and took off running to get her father for help. When her father, Sheriff Lance arrived on the scene he arrested Lewis Snart for harming his kids, Lisa Snart, age four, and Leonard Snart, age nine. Leonard. That was the name of the boy brave enough to stand up to his own father for the good of his sister. She had only ever seen grown men be so brave. To see someone as young as Leonard face someone not only stand up to someone, but to someone bigger and stronger than he was and not for his own sake but for the sake of another was something she had never thought possible.

 

She paid close attention to her father’s work in the following weeks as he and the legal system prosecuted Lewis for what he had done even as the law failed them, the courts giving Leonard and his sister right back to Lewis after a few mere months behind bars. She felt as much sorrow for Leonard as her father did, not being able to help more. She soon began to follow Leonard around from a distance, watching as he played with his sister and joked around with his good friend, Michael. She saw how sweet and caring he acted toward his younger sibling and every once in a while, got close enough to hear a joke he would tell his best friend. His sense of humor was snarky but always said with such a warm and bright smile it was hard to believe that he had gone through what he had.

 

If his strength and bravery impressed her, his humor, laugh, and smile made her heart soar above the clouds. She followed him around hoping one day he would notice her but even after saving him from the river he still hadn’t said but one word to her. She followed him, watching from afar for so long that seasons came and went many times over. Over time she couldn’t bear to keep her feelings inside and poured them out in her journals, writing poetry about him day and night.

 

_The strongest man in town_

_One whom the darkness could never keep down_

_His strength of spirit and strength of heart_

_Could always make my fear depart_

_His smile’s so bright it lights up the room_

_Chasing away all doom and gloom_

_To look so happy in spite of the dark_

_Is the way in which he left his mark_

_Upon my heart, upon my soul_

_In his presence I can’t control_

_The way in which my lungs lose breath_

_My love for him shall be my death_

_A ghost I am to be so unseen_

_By someone who is tall and lean_

_He sees me not for why would he_

_Look upon a girl like me?_

_What a fool I am, a clown_

_To fall for the strongest man in town_

 

That’s how she always saw him. How could she not when he remained strong for his younger sister in the face of such adversity? While most were strong in only the physical sense or even just the emotional one, Leonard’s strength permeated throughout his entire being reaching deep to the very core of his soul. After eleven years of admiring him she still longs for the day that he might notice her. With the ball coming up, she hopes perhaps that he shall ask her to accompany him. Oh how she would love to dance the night away in his arms, staring deeply into his eyes.

 

“Hello Sara. How are you today?” Oliver asked as he approached Sara.

“Fine Oliver. Just fine,” Sara replied with a smile.

“You know that ball this Saturday I was wondering if you be my date for the evening?” Oliver asked.

“You want me to accompany you to the ball this Saturday?” Sara asked in confirmation.

“Yes. What do you say? I promise to be a perfect gentleman the entire evening,” Oliver replied.

“I… uh yeah sure. That sounds- that sounds good. Yeah,” Sara replied a weak smile as she realized that Leonard would probably never ask her; what a foolish dream, why would he ask her if he didn’t even know she existed.

“Excellent. I shall arrive at your home to escort you to the ball no later than seven in the evening,” Oliver responded with a wide smile as he brought Sara’s hand to his lips to Sara’s discomfort.

“Until then,” he added, taking his leave.

 

Sara left the marketplace in a hurry hoping to make it back home before the tears of disappointment washed over her face. She had wanted so badly for Leonard to be the one to ask her. Hoped that he might notice her for once and see her as someone worthy of a place in his noble heart. How she longed to be loved by someone so tender and compassionate. He was a man most people called cold but who she could only see as warm. The way he cared for his sister and stood up for members of his crew proved nothing but how big of a heart he possessed and how all men wishing to be honorable should act.

 

Leonard may not have said but one word to her in all the time she’s known of him but that did not stop her from dreaming of being in his arms, hearing him laugh or tell her tales of the sea and the world beyond, and gazing into those piercing ice blue eyes of his that looked just as how she imagined the Arctic Sea he so often traversed. But of course she is as invisible as always, doomed to admire him from afar as her love knew nothing of her existence. If only her love could see her, but alas he sees her not because she is nothing but a fool, a fool to fall in love with the strongest man in town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think down below!


	2. An Arrangement

Leonard was 24 and spending a good few weeks on shore as he and his crew rested before their next voyage over seas. Then out of the blue his father asks him over to the old family cabin in the woods to have a word about something important; an alibi he thinks. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Lewis asked him to provide an alibi to the cops for some reason or another. Though this did seem odd.

 

“You didn’t have to come with me, Lise,” Leonard says to his sister as they approach the door.

“Of course I did. I wasn’t about to let you face our father alone. For all you know he asked you out here to kill you.”

“Right, and if he did then you’d only be putting your life at risk and what would your husband think if you turned up dead?”

“Cisco would be devastated but he would surely find a way to move on and be happy.”

“Uh-huh,” Leonard replied before knocking on the door.

“Leonard. Lisa. Come on in,” Lewis greeted as he opened the door and waved them in; if the smell of booze on his breath wasn’t a dead giveaway that he was already drunk, the way he stumbled to the couch and the glossy appearance of his eyes were.

“What’s this about father?” Leonard asked.

“You’re getting married,” Lewis replied without so much as glancing at his children while he poured himself a glass of scotch.

“Beg pardon?” Leonard blinked in confusion.

“What are you deaf? I said you’re getting married. A very powerful man has arranged it with me for you to marry his daughter,” Lewis replied before taking a good large gulp of booze.

 

Leonard was taken aback by the statement, feeling like he had been hit by a train. How could his father do this to him? To arrange for him to be married to some random woman? This should be an outrage and yet…

 

“What?! Father you can’t do this! Leonard is a grown man. You cannot make decisions about his life for him.

“Wait,” Leonard said, raising a hand to silence his sister.

“Whose idea was this?” he asked his father.

“The father of your future bride. He seemed rather eager to have you marry his daughter. Can’t imagine why, but he made me an offer that was too good to pass up.”

“I’ll do it.”

“What?” Lisa asked her brother in shock.

“I’ll marry this woman.”

“Good,” Lewis responded as Leonard made his way out the door, Lisa trailing behind.

“What?! Leonard, you cannot be serious! You’re going to marry a woman you don’t know, don’t love, while there is someone that you do have feelings for?”

“Yes, because the idea of me ever marrying Sara is hopeless. She would never have me for her husband, nor would I ever have the courage to speak to her to ever propose such,” Leonard all but roared before letting out a sigh.

“But I want a family. I want a wife and kids and while I may not love this bride I could learn to. This marriage could be just the push I need to finally get over Sara. And either way this wedding was the idea of my intended bride’s father. If I refuse he shall just arrange for her to be married to someone else, someone perhaps who would treat her terribly. At least with me I know this woman would be treated well, provided for. I could be a good husband to her and in time we may grow to care for one another,” he added in a softer tone as he looked on the verge of crying.

“Lenny, don’t do this. You should give yourself the chance to be happy with the woman of your dreams. You can’t just throw away your happiness because you don’t think you can have it or you think that it would benefit a stranger. Please Leonard, for once in your life think of yourself.”

“I am. I am thinking of what is best for me and what is best is that I move on from my infatuation with Sara Lance and this arranged marriage is the perfect opportunity to do so,” Leonard replied before walking away.

 

 

“How could you do this father?!” Sara screamed at Quentin after he told her about the deal he made with Lewis Snart.

“I did this because you were waiting for Leonard to make a move that you yourself thought he would never make. So I made the move instead and now you will be wed to the love of your life. You’re welcome sweetie,” Quentin replied as he moved to press a kiss to his youngest daughter’s forehead only for Sara to push away from him.

“Are you mad? If Leonard doesn’t want to marry me then forcing him to do so by making a deal with his bastard father isn’t going to make him love me! I want to be married to him, to love him and be loved by him in return. How could he ever love me if his choice in bride was taken from him? How could he love me when we would our marriage would mean the man who made him suffer for years is free and gets away with a burglary? He will resent me for the rest of his life. Do you not see that?!” Sara screamed as tears began to stain her cheeks.

 

Sara pushed past her father and ran from their home in tears, distraught that her father would pull a stunt like this for the sake of her happiness. She ran all the way to the edge of the forest and sat down under the shade of a tree to sob. After a moment she took out her journal and began to write in its pages.

 

_To love is a beautiful thing._

_To be loved is something greater._

_To be betrayed by someone you love_

_In the name of love_

_Is something tragic and cruel._

_How could a father make a deal with a devil_

_To give his daughter love and warmth?_

_How could a father thing it right_

_To buy a husband for his little girl?_

_How could a father go behind his daughter’s back_

_Just to make her smile?_

_To love someone is great; wonderful and pure._

_To be loved naught is pain un-ending; excruciatingly so._

_To be married to someone whom you don’t love_

_Is a cruel and terrible fate_

_No person should endure._

_So how could my father betray me so_

_And condemn us both to this?_

_Him to a marriage he doesn’t desire_

_And me to life with a man who cares not for me._

_A loveless marriage is what it is_

_A prison in a way_

_One worse than any other_

_One from which there is no escape_

_And in which you are truly alone._

_If all he wanted for me was love_

_Then why did he take it all from me?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought down below!


	3. First Meeting

Leonard was leaning against a streetlamp, admiring Sara as she and her elder sister Laurel conversed in the distance over at the town square. There was a sad smile at play on his lips. He knew he shouldn’t be watching her. He knew he was set to be married to someone else but still he couldn’t help what he felt in his heart that pulled him to her time and again.

 

“You need to talk to her,” Lisa said, interrupting his thoughts.

“What would be the point, Lisa? I am engaged to another woman,” Leonard replied, pushing off from the tree to turn and face his sister.

“But you don’t have to be, Leonard. If you would only speak with her she would surely become smitten with you. You don’t have to give up on love just to make father happy.”

“I am not doing this to make father happy. I am doing this because I have to let go of my feelings for Sara before I am driven mad by my desires.”

 

* * *

 

“You need to talk to him,” Laurel insisted.

“No! Laurel, how can I speak to him? He must be furious with the whole idea of an arranged marriage. There is no way he would wish to speak with me,” Sara argued.

“Sara, dear, you two are set to be married in a week. If you cannot talk to him before the wedding, then how are you supposed to speak with him after? Now come on, take a deep breath, relax… and don’t look now but he’s over there and I’m going to introduce you,” Laurel replied before tugging her sister over toward Leonard and Lisa.

“What? Laurel!”

 

Lisa noticed the Lance sisters approaching and smiled.

 

“Look Lenny, here is your chance to talk to her. She’s coming this way,” Lisa smirked.

“What?” Leonard responded, turning around to see Sara and Laurel coming toward them.

“Hello,” Lisa said with a smile.

“Uh h-hi Laurel and um- uh,” he said in greeting, difficult with the nerves setting in as he turned to Sara.

“Sara?” Laurel finished.

“Yes! Yes, yes. Of course. I- I knew that,” Leonard replied with a nervous smile.

“See I told you this was a bad idea,” Sara muttered into her sister’s ear.

“Shh! So Leonard I hear we shall soon be family. Excited for the wedding?” Laurel asked.

“The- the wedding?” Leonard asked in shock.

“Yes… Your father did mention the arranged marriage did he not?” Laurel asked with a furrowed brow.

“Yes, yes he did. He just failed to mention that it was you to whom I would be wed,” Leonard replied, doing well to hide his disturbance at the thought of wedding _Laurel_ Lance.

“What? Oh no, no, no, no. I am not your bride,” Laurel explained.

“No?” Lisa asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No, it is my sister. She is the one whom you will be marrying,” Laurel answered with a smile.

“Your- Your sister?” Leonard asked, eyes going wide and mouth gaping wide.

“Hmm, yes. That is- that is correct,” Sara replied sheepishly unable to look up at Leonard.

“Welcome to the family!” Lisa exclaimed as she threw her arms around Sara in a hug.

“Oh I have always wanted a sister,” she added.

“Well now you shall have two. Though Sara may be the only bride, I say I still count as a sister-in-law.”

“How wonderful. Isn’t this wonderful Lenny? You and _Sara_ are getting married!” Lisa said turning to her brother.

“Um… uh… Would- would you excuse me. I have… business… to attend to,” Leonard replied before making a hasty retreat.

 

This can’t be happening. This _can’t_ be happening! Sara Lance is the one his father arranged for him to marry? Sure he’s always _wanted_ to marry her, but to do so because it was forced upon her would be terrible. He would have to live the rest of his life with her, seeing the look of disappointment, resentment on her face whenever she looked at him. Hell, she could barely look at him then. She clearly loathed his existence. He couldn’t do this.

 

He couldn’t go through with a marriage that would take away from Sara’s happiness. If her father had been the one to devise this wedding, then he would just have to convince Sheriff Lance that he was mistaken in doing so. He couldn’t let Sara be married to him or anyone else that she does not love.

 

“Hey. I ran into Lisa. She said you were getting married to Sara. Congratulations,” Michael said as he approached his best friend at the local tavern.

“This is not a time for celebration Michael. This wedding would be a mistake and it is one that I cannot go through with. Sara would be miserable having to be married to me when she could be with someone she truly loved, and I simply cannot do that to her Michael. I can’t,” Leonard replied before downing a shot of bourbon.

“Well what are you going to do? I mean you said it yourself that the wedding being the bride’s father’s idea that even if you backed out his daughter would still be married off to someone else.”

“Yes, which is why I am going to convince Sheriff Lance that he is making a mistake by marrying Sara off. I am going to talk to him and-”

“And what? I mean you aren’t actually going to go up to the sheriff and tell him you don’t want to marry his daughter and then tell him he’s stupid for trying to get his daughter hitched.”

“No, of course not. I would never call the sheriff stupid… then again you are right. I also can’t just go up to him and tell him that I will not go through with the wedding. That would be a terrible way to approach the subject… I know. I’ll leave him a note, imploring him to reconsider his position of marrying her off to someone she doesn’t love, appeal to his sensibilities.”

“You’re going to leave a note?”

“Yes. I shall leave a note and you, the crew and I shall sail off, never to return again.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Why not? After all the crew lives their lives entirely on the ship, save for Martin whose life resides back in jolly old London. The only ties anyone has to here are some of the crew’s affections toward my brother-in-law Cisco. And in that case, he and Lisa have been thinking about moving to Canada. If that does happen then we shall have no use in returning to the city ever again.”

“Leonard, think about this. For the first time in your life you have the chance to be with the woman of your dreams. Are you really willing to just throw that all away?”

“I have to Michael. I cannot steal Sara’s chance at happiness by marrying her. You did not see the way she reacted to being in my presence. She could hardly even _look_ at me,” Leonard said with such sorrow in his eyes.

“Alright. I shall gather the crew and we will prepare to set sail immediately.”

“Thank you, Michael. You are truly the greatest friend I could have ever asked for.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought down below!


	4. Ice-Breaker

There he was, Leonard Snart, looking as dashing as ever in his navy-blue waistcoat that he wore over a plain white, long-sleeved shirt with black trousers. Normally he wore a black frock coat over top but at the moment he seemed to be without it and with his sleeves rolled up, showing off his muscles it was hard for Sara to form a coherent thought that wasn’t _hot damn_! Still, she was determined to speak to him even if he did seem to be busy at the moment.

 

“Hello Leonard,” she greeted with a smile.

“Uh hi… um… um,” Leonard replied, unable to speak through his nerves as the sight of Sara drove him mad, especially when she wore that light blue dress accented with white trim that brought out her eyes and did well to show off her figure.

“Sara. My name is Sara.”

“Yes, yes. I- I knew that,” Leonard replied as he returned to loading his ship, the SS Ice-Breaker, with supplies.

“Yet somehow I doubt that. Um might I ask what is it that you’re doing?”

“I uh I’m loading my ship. I need to fill it with supplies. Have a lot of work to do.”

“Doesn’t your work usually take you across the sea?”

“Yes, yes it does… I’m surprised you even know of my work.”

“How could I not know of the famous Captain Snart? I’ve heard rumors about you tangling with pirates on occasion and slaying sea monsters. Legends of how your ship got its name from being able to break through the frozen seas of the north.”

“Well I don’t know about monsters, but I have grappled with a fearsome beast or two out at sea. Other sailors still insist that they don’t exist or like to pretend they don’t, either way. As for how the ship got its name, however, I’m afraid it has less to do with breaking through ice and more to do with the fact that I like cold puns and am a very good conversationalist,” Leonard blushed, surprised to hear that Sara knew of him as well as making her laugh at the explanation of his ship’s name.

 

As he placed another crate on his ship he turned back around to see that Sara had walked onboard.

 

“What are you doing?” he asked her, horrified that she had come aboard; this simply would not do, not when he was trying to flee.

“Well I figured since we are to be husband and wife that I should become acquainted with your ship sooner rather than later. After all, I do suspect that I may be spending quite a bit of time aboard given that you are known to live on it.”

“I uh,” he sighed.

“Look to be honest there is no reason for you to become acquainted with my ship.”

“What do you mean?” Sara squinted.

“I mean this isn’t a trip for business, it is a voyage to escape from this horrendous idea your father cooked up of an arranged marriage. Soon I shall leave and never return,” Leonard answered as he avoided her eye.

“Oh… I see,” Sara said trying to swallow her disappointment at both Leonard not wanting to marry her as well as the thought of never seeing him again.

 

Of course Leonard didn’t want to marry her. Of course he would run from the marriage. Why wouldn’t he? What did she have to offer someone as bold and daring as him?

 

“But you need not worry about whomever your father could choose for the next intended husband. I have written him a letter insisting that he reconsider his position, imploring him to decide against arranging for you to be married. After all a maiden as lovely as yourself deserves to be wed to a husband of her own choosing not her father’s.”

“Yes, arranged marriages are rather a terrible idea aren’t they,” Sara replied, looking down as Leonard walked past her to load another crate.

“However… I do not think my father would be so easily swayed by a letter. In fact I doubt that anything anyone tells him would convince him to let me choose my own husband. So perhaps I too should run away. Never look back,” she added, turning to look up at him as she got an idea that was equal parts brilliant and equal parts terrible.

“What is it that you are suggesting here?” Leonard asked as he squinted his eyes at her.

“I am suggesting that maybe I should join you on this voyage. You can take me overseas where my father cannot force me to wed someone I don’t love and then we can simply go our separate ways if that is what you’d like.”

 

He looked at her a moment, pondering as to what to do next. On the one hand letting her on the ship to accompany him and his crew would be a disastrous idea but on the other if he refused she would become disappointed and he couldn’t bear so much as the thought of seeing a frown upon her face knowing that he put it there.

 

“You would have to go home and pack. After all you can’t very well travel halfway across the world without your clothes can you,” Leonard answered.

“Terrific! I shall pack my bags immediately!” Sara said with a bright smile that left a warm feeling in his heart as she ran off to obtain her possessions, passing Michael on her way out.

“Hello Michael, are the rest of the crew on their way back?” Leonard asked him

“Yeah, they’ll be here shortly. So uh what was Sara doing on your ship?” Michael asked his friend.

“She asked for a tour of the ship, thinking that she should get to know it before the wedding. When I told her that I was leaving she asked instead to come along with to avoid the risk of her father marrying her off to some other random man. I told her yes but that she’d have to pack her things immediately. By the time she gets back we shall be long gone, that way I don’t have to see her look disappointed at not getting to come to England with us.”

“Huh, kind of sounds like she was actually excited for this whole wedding thing.”

“What ever gave you that idea?”

“She wanted to tour your ship, she had a huge smile on her face as she passed by me to fetch her belongings. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she asked to come along not to avoid her father’s madness but because she wanted to spend time with you.”

“Are you daft, Michael? Why on Earth would Sara Lance possibly want to spend time with me? I am nothing and nobody, she, she is everything. She is the sun and the moon and the stars, she is the beauty and grace of heaven and the fire and ferocity of hell. She is the most amazing woman, _nay_ , person who has ever lived and I am but a wretched coward who still lives in fear of his father and who has only ever spoken to her when she initiated the conversation. I am weak and pathetic. Why in God’s name would she ever want to spend time with me?” Leonard ranted as he focused on filling his ship with the supplies they would need for the voyage.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask her after you wake up?”

“Wake up? What do you mean-” Leonard tried to ask before Michael knocked him unconscious with a single blow from his fist.

“You’ll thank me for this later,” Michael replied to his unconscious friend and captain as he dragged Leonard off to his quarters to lock him in until Sara was already on the ship and they had departed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought down below!


	5. Welcome Aboard!

Michael was just finishing up his checklist of things to do to prepare the ship for sail when the crew started to arrive.

 

“Bartholomew, you manage to get the good booze like I asked?” Michael asked as the cabin boy stepped aboard.

“Right here sir,” Bartholomew replied proudly as he held up the bottle of fine scotch.

“Excellent. Oh and uh help the lady with her bags. She looks like she could use a hand with all of... that," Michael responded, taking the bottle from Bartholomew’s hand and gesturing down the pier to Sara coming up the way.

“Isn’t that that woman the captain fancies? Sara something?”

“Yes, yes, it is. She’ll be joining us on this voyage.”

“The captain has finally worked up the nerve to court her?”

“Nope. Actually, he’s conked out in his quarters. Long story short, Sara’s father arranged for her and the captain to be married but Leonard’s not willing to take away her chance to marry someone she loves so he’s taking off for good. But Sara asked to come with to avoid being married off to someone else and the captain was going to have us set sail before she got back. Not that I’d let that happen. He’ll thank me later and if he asks, you knew nothing. Got it?”

“Yes sir. Here miss, let me help you with your bags,” Bartholomew said as he turned to Sara.

“That’s very kind of you but I’ve got this, thanks. However, if you can show me where I can set these down that would be much appreciated,” Sara replied.

“Of course. The spare room’s right this way. And I can give you the tour of the ship once you’re settled-”

“No! Thank you but really, I would much prefer a tour from the captain of this ship. Um where is he pray tell?”

“Oh he is uh resting in his quarters. He should wake soon. In the meantime our chief officer Michael will be setting us to sail.”

“What is a chief officer exactly?”

“It’s basically just a fancy way of saying that he’s the second-in-command of the ship. If you’ll follow me, I can show you to you room _without_ the complete tour.”

“Thank you…”

“Oh uh Bartholomew. Sorry. I should’ve mentioned it before.”

“No worries. I am Sara by the way.”

“I know. This way.”

 

Sara frowned in confusion as to how Bartholomew would know her name given they had never met but quickly dismissed the concern as she headed below deck to the room she would be staying in. Meanwhile, Michael started up the ship’s steam engine and set a course for jolly old London, a frequent stop in their line of work. After about an hour at sea Leonard awoke in his cabin with a headache. He made his way out of the cabin and up to the deck to… well… deck his chief officer in the face for punching him.

 

“OW!” Michael exclaimed.

“You deserved that you son of a bitch! What have you done Michael? Please for the love of god tell me that Sara Lance isn’t aboard this vessel.”

“Alright I won’t tell ya.”

“Michael!”

“Hey, I did you a favor. You were going to just leave and never see her again and you would’ve been miserable.”

“Better than making Sara miserable by having me be in her presence. Now we are turning this ship around and returning Sara back home,” Leonard said, making his way to the ship’s steering room.

“Yeah well then, you’re going to have to be the one to tell her she ain’t welcome on the ship even though you said she could come along and have to explain why she’s not coming with us because the rest of us sure as hell ain’t going to do it,” Michael said, stopping Leonard in his tracks.

“You really want to have to see the look of disappointment, of sadness in her eye?”

 

Leonard huffed and turned back toward Michael.

 

“Honestly Michael what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that she wanted to come along and that you wanted her to come too even if you wouldn’t admit it. I was thinking that doing this would be better for both of you in the long run. If you want to fire me, fine then, fire me. But don’t think for a second that I’m going to apologize for what I did.”

“I would never fire you Michael, you’re my best friend and partner. We started this business together. Where is Sara right now?” Leonard sighed with a shake of his head.

“She’s down in the spare cabin. She told Bartholomew she wanted you to be the one to give her the tour,” Michael smirked.

“M- me? She wants _me_ to- to give her the tour?” Leonard asked, pointing to himself in shock.

“Yeah. You are the captain ain’t you? So what’re you waiting for? Go give her the grand tour of the ship. Show her the galley, the storerooms… your quarters,” Michael smirked.

“Michael!” Leonard said with a blush.

“What? I’m just messing with you. But seriously, go show her around,” Michael said shoving Leonard toward the stairs leading down.

“Alright, alright. Don’t push me.”

 

Leonard arrived at Sara’s door and after a moment of hesitation, knocked upon it.

 

“Come in,” Sara said in response.

“Hello, Ms. Lance, is the room to your liking?” Leonard asked as he entered to see Sara there, sitting on the bed her chest almost seeming to be puffed out.

“Yes Captain Snart, it is quite lovely if a bit small,” Sara replied with a smile as she puffed out her chest a bit, hoping to appear more appealing to Leonard.

“My apologies on the size. Unfortunately working vessels do not often accommodate for the living arrangements of the crew and such. If you would follow me, we shall begin with your tour.”

“Of course Captain Snart,” Sara said getting up from the bed to follow after him.

“Please… call me Leonard.”

“Right, of course Leonard,” Sara replied with a nod as they both turned their heads from each other to hide the respective blushes creeping up on their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought down below!


	6. The Tour

“So let us begin. On our left we have the individual cabins for our cook, Joseph West, his son, Wallace, one of our engineers, our boatswain, Harrison Wells, and my best friend, partner and chief officer, Michael, as well as the joint cabin of one of our quartermasters, Iris Allen, and her husband Bartholomew,” Leonard explained as he led Sara down the hall.

“Three questions. First, what is a boatswain? Second, what is a quartermaster? And third, what does Bartholomew do?”

“A boatswain is someone who oversees the equipment and the crew, making sure that everything is where it belongs, and everyone is doing their job. A quartermaster is a person in charge of the ship’s wheel. And Bartholomew is responsible for all of the grunt work; swabbing the decks, basic chores, all sorts of menial labor.”

“Seems like a lot for one person.”

“And yet it’s never enough. Bartholomew is far too fast at finishing his chores, so he always runs out of things to do. He gets on my last good nerve whenever he isn’t kept busy, so we always have to come up with another task for him to do. He’s a good man, really. He’s just a tad too perky for my taste. Now over on the right we have the cabins of our sailing master, Martin Stein, who is in charge of navigation, another quartermaster, Jesse Wells, who also happens to be Harrison’s daughter, our chief engineer, Jefferson Jackson, and the joint cabin of quartermaster, Ronald Raymond and his wife, our on-board doctor, Caitlin.”

“I see, and who might I ask controls the sails of the ship? Forgive me if I sound ignorant but to be honest I’m not sure you ever went over who tends to those. You went over who cooks, who cleans, who navigates, who sees to the ship’s steam engines, but I don’t recall you mentioning who works the sails themselves.”

“To be fair, your question is quite valid as sails are on most ships tended to by riggers. But on my ship, I don’t take kindly to idle hands so whenever sails need to be dealt with anyone who isn’t currently busy handles them. Typically that consists of myself, Michael, Harrison, Caitlin, Joseph, and Bartholomew. Occasionally, Martin lends a hand, but the others are needed at their posts almost full time. Now down this way-”

 

Leonard turns a corner down through another hall, leading Sara into a large room filled with tables and chairs as well as several bookcases.

 

“-is the saloon. Here the crew has meals and spends their downtime when the work is done for the day. Often that involves conversations, reading, and or card games; not that anyone would dare to challenge me to a game. They say I’m unbeatable at Gin.”

“Funny, they say the same thing about me. Perhaps we could play a game later and see which of us is truly the best.”

“Perhaps we could,” Leonard blushed before clearing his throat.

“Uh down this way is the galley where Joseph prepares the crew’s meals. The recipes his grandma Esther taught him are to die for.”

“I can’t wait to try them.”

“Now, if you would follow me down to the next deck below. Down here we have the storerooms where we keep the food in one, drink in another, supplies in a third, and finally our weapons room,” Leonard explained as he led Sara downstairs.

“Ah for dealing with pirates I see?”

“Sometimes, but mostly they’re for managing with certain unruly sea life. The things that live in the water can be quite deadly. Especially the ones that live in the Arctic. There are whales there that have long horns sticking out from the heads. Often, though, the animals in the seas are more of a nuisance by getting caught in the ship’s propellers, clogging them up and putting the ship to a stop. The weapons room contains tools that we can use to dislodge them and put them out of their misery. Getting caught in a ship’s propeller? Not fun.”

“I see. So what’s next on our tour?”

“Well the engine room is down on the lowest level but for the sake of not giving Harrison heart troubles I suggest we stay out of there. He insists that the engine room should only be allowed access to by the engineers, himself, and of course me. He used to let Michael down there but after a certain fiasco that I don’t care to get into detail, Michael has been banned from the level. Upstairs, though, we have the helm of the ship-” Leonard said, leading Sara to the top deck and up a flight of stairs, passing a chamber just beneath the helm.

“Here the quartermasters work with Martin to move the ship in the right direction we need to go. And that would be the end of our tour. So, questions?”

“Yes, where are your quarters? You showed me where everyone else stays but you neglected to show me where your cabin is.”

“My quarters are right below the helm. You saw it on your way up here.”

“No, I saw the door. I did not see the cabin itself. There is a difference.”

“Still, not like I showed you anyone else’s cabins.”

“Yes, but I would hope that that was because even the captain needs permission before entering another’s quarters. Your own, however, you can freely show.”

“Well I don’t think that-”

“Could you please show me to your room? I am sure it is quite lovely.”

“Well I don’t know about lovely but alright.”

 

Sara followed Leonard down the steps to his room, anxious to see where it was that he truly lived. Entering the room, she didn’t find much. Just a simple bed, a dresser, a desk, and not much else. No knick-knacks, no personal belongings lying about. It was very plain compared to the homey feeling she got from the guest quarters she had been taken to.

 

“This is where you live? I must say it doesn’t look like anyone really stays here. Everything is far too neat and tidy, prim and proper,” Sara asked as she glanced around the room.

“Are you saying I strike you as a slob?” he asked with an eyebrow raised as he leaned against his desk.

“No, of course not. I just figured you would’ve made yourself more at home is all. I mean it is your ship after all, your cabin. I fail to see why you haven’t made it more personable, more… like home.”

“I’ve never been much one for home.”

“Perhaps we could change that.”

“We?” Leonard asked as he felt his breathing take pause at her words.

 

Sara turned away from him with a blush that made him almost consider that she might’ve felt something for him; just a little something. But no, of course not. Why on earth would Sara Lance, ever return his feelings in the slightest?

 

“Um, I have work to see to. Feel free to loiter about the saloon if you’d like. But please don’t interrupt any of the crew as they work… unless it’s Bartholomew. Feel free to bother him for anything you need,” Leonard said, pushing off from the desk as he brought out a small laugh from Sara at his last words.

 

What he wouldn’t give to hear that laugh forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you thought down below!


	7. A Late Night Conversation

It was a few hours into the voyage and the night was starting to set in. The rest of the crew had already gone to eat dinner but Leonard had avoided the saloon so as to prevent any awkward encounters with Sara. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass himself around her. But of course, he had to eat and made his way below deck where who should he run into but Sara Lance herself, sitting alone at an empty table save for the pot of stew Joe had made earlier.

 

“Hey,” Sara said in greeting.

“Hey. I thought everyone had eaten already,” Leonard questioned as he grabbed a bottle of scotch from a nearby cabinet and took a sip of the amber liquid.

“We did but I figured you wouldn’t want to eat alone so I stayed here to wait for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“No. I- I don’t mind at all,” Leonard replied taken aback by the fact that Sara had waited for _him_.

“So, you going to eat or what? Fair warning though, with how long it took you to get down here the stew’s already gone cold.”

“Yes, I’ll eat and cold food really doesn’t bother me too much,” Leonard replied as he poured himself a bowl of the cold beef stew.

“Why does that not surprise me?”

“Maybe because everyone always calls me Captain Cold?” he responded before taking a bite out of his dinner.

 

The laugh that slipped past Sara’s lips startled him in the most delightful way. It was such a happy sound that Leonard didn’t know how to stop himself from smiling whenever he heard it. Then he noticed her staring at him and wondered what could possibly be going through her head. Maybe he was smiling too much and had let on that he loved her by accident? Why was she looking at him like that?

 

Sara absolutely adored Leonard’s smile. The gleam in his eyes when his smile was genuine was nothing short of gorgeous. How could she stop herself from staring at such a lovely grin? How could she not become distracted by the shine of his pearly whites? Why did he have to be so handsome that she got lost staring into his eyes? Which now that she thought of it were fixated on her as much as hers were on him.

 

He was staring at her and she at him. The room had gone silent as soon as Sara’s laughter died down but it was only now that they realized how deathly quiet it truly was. Each of them wondered what the other was thinking, what thoughts lied behind their eyes. In truth Sara was thinking about how much she wanted to feel his smile against her own lips and taste the liquor on his tongue. Meanwhile, all Leonard could think was how easy it would be to lean over just a little and steal a kiss from the beautiful maiden… and how badly such an action would backfire if he did. Surely he would receive a slap in the face at such a bold move.

 

Wait. Was she leaning toward him? Or was he leaning toward her? Why did it suddenly seem that the others lips were closer than they were a moment ago? What was happening?

 

“Uh… do… you want to play a game of Gin?” Leonard asked as he spotted a deck of playing cards on a nearby shelf, getting up to retrieve them before he could do something as stupid as to kiss Sara.

“Uh yes. That- that would be great. Got to warn you, though, I am quite the card shark.”

“I’ve dealt with a number of sharks before. Trust me, I can handle it,” he replied as he set up a game.

“Oh I’m sure you can,” Sara said with a smirk and a low tone that made Leonard question if she had been using some sort of innuendo there.

 

He quickly shook that thought from his head. After all, why would Sara ever make such an implication? It wasn’t as though she liked him, at least not in the way in which he liked her. Though God knows he wished she did. What he wouldn’t give to have her look at him with love and passion in her eyes, held only for him. What he wouldn’t give to be one of the blessed things she held dear to her heart.

 

Sara, on the other hand, was positively kicking herself for making such a foolish move. She could only thank God that Leonard didn’t seem to pick up on what she was implying. If he had he would have surely laughed at her. Why would he do anything different? After all, he was a bold, courageous ship captain who traveled the world, fighting off pirates and fabled monsters of the sea. What would someone like that ever see in a simple girl like her?

 

“Gin,” Leonard mentioned, pulling Sara from her thoughts.

“Well it seems you are as formidable of an opponent as you said you were. Care for another game? Perhaps two out of three?”

“As much as I would love to continue the game, are you sure you want to stay up? It is getting rather late,” Leonard responded as he finished the last of his stew.

“Yes. I’m sure. I mean we’ve barely talked at all during this whole game and I was rather hoping to get to know you better.”

“You were?”

“Yes. So tell me Leonard what is it that you enjoy doing when you’re not sailing the seven seas?” Sara asked as she dealt the cards.

“I like to draw.”

“I knew that. Anything in particular?” Sara asked, instantly kicking herself for mentioning that she knew he sketched. Great, now he must think that she stalks him throughout town.

 

 _You_ , Leonard thought to himself as he wondered how Sara knew of his passion for art.

 

“Landscapes mostly, my sister Lisa, this ship, the various places I’ve traveled to, the animals I see out in the ocean, lots of things really,” he replied before lifting the scotch to his lips.

“Would you draw me?”

“What?” Leonard coughed as he spat out the alcoholic drink some of it staining the cards in his hand.

“I said would you draw me? It’s alright if you don’t want to. I’ve just never had someone do a portrait of me before and was wondering how it would look if you sketched me.”

“I- I’m not… really good at it.”

“Nonsense, I’m sure you’re wonderful at it.”

 

Leonard looked up into her bright blue eyes and knew as soon as she batted her eyelashes at him that he was a goner.

 

“Please? For me?” she asked in a sweetly tone.

“Very well, but if it turns out bad, promise me you won’t kill me for not being able to do you justice? I’d hate to wind up on the wrong side of your fist. After all, it sure as hell looked like it hurt every time you used to give old Scudder or any of the other assholes a wallop when they crossed you.”

 

 _Crap!_ Why’d he say that?

 

“You’ve seen me fight?” she asked with eyes full of disbelief.

“Well… I mean… it’s not like town is very large and a woman beating up men twice her size is certain to catch everyone’s eye.”

“You saying I catch your eye, Leonard?” Sara smirked.

 

_Crap! Stop talking! Stop talking!_

 

“Uh you know I just remembered I have things to attend to in the morning. I should really head on out to bed. I’ll see you in the morning,” Leonard replied as he made a hasty retreat from the room, not even bothering to put the cards away as he left.

“Guess I’ll see you then,” Sara said to herself with a frown as she put the deck back in the box and stole a sip from his scotch, dreaming that that’s how his lips must’ve tasted and imagining the feel of them on her own. What she wouldn’t give for just one kiss from her beloved Leonard Snart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late posting! Let me know what you thought down below!


	8. A Portrait of a Warrior

Leonard was hard at work the next morning, making sure everything on the ship was in top notch condition and that they were well on their way to jolly old England. It was the place where they did most of their business, so it seemed like a good a spot as any to settle down in now that they had left their home in America, plus it is where Martin and his wife and daughter lived given they both suffered from far too horrible seasickness to ever travel with them. The bright smile on the man’s face was absolutely endearing.

 

As Leonard was busy checking his compass to make sure they were on the right path, he found his vision blocked by a sketchpad being dangled in his face.

 

“What’s this?” he asked, turning to see Sara standing behind him, draping herself over his back, arms wrapped around his shoulders as she held the pad of paper in front of him with a smile on her face.

“You said you would draw me last night and I figured since you didn’t have time to do so then that maybe you’d have time to do so now.”

“Can’t. I uh- I’m busy.”

“Busy? You’re just standing here looking at your compass. Hardly sounds busy to me.”

“Well I-”

“Go. Sketch the girl. No doubt she’ll just distract you until you do. I can handle things in your absence. Go,” Harrison insisted as he waved them off.

“He’s right you know. I will just keep asking until you do.”

“Fine. I’ll do it,” Leonard sighed as he followed Sara away, missing the smirk on Harrison’s face.

 

Leonard followed Sara down to her room where she sat on the bed and began to strike several poses.

 

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to figure out how to position myself. How do these things normally work?”

“Well in my experience they’re random moments captured on paper rather than something one plans and tries to perfect.”

“So this won’t work then?”

“No, it’ll work it just won’t look as good as any other sketch I’ve done er- could do. But no worries. Whether posed or not I am certain you will look just as radiant in the portrait as you do in person,” Leonard replied as he picked up the sketchpad and a pencil.

“You think I look radiant, Leonard?” Sara smirked, hopeful that he found even half as attractive as she found him.

“Mmm. Doesn’t everyone?”

 

Sara giggled in response and looked away shyly. Leonard quickly got to work drawing Sara making extra sure to capture every last detail. He wanted it to be perfect. He didn’t want the one sketch she asked of him to be something subpar or not to her liking. He was careful to get down every last freckle in as much shading as needed and to perfect that glorious smile of hers. He wanted nothing more than to portray her beauty in its entirety and not get anything wrong. It took him a while as he redid several of the minute details to get them just right, but he was finally done.

 

“Well uh,” he said clearing his throat as he held out the portrait, “what- what do you think?”

 

She looked down at the paper and smiled fondly at it to Leonard’s immediate relief. Smiles were good. Smiles meant that she liked it, right?

 

“Well?”

“It is beautiful. I am impressed. To make someone as dowdy as me look so gorgeous you are incredibly talented,” she said with a smile as she handed it back to him.

“Dowdy? You really think you are… dowdy?”

 

Leonard looked down as he shook his head.

 

“No,” he said before looking up, “No. I will not have you say such a terrible thing about yourself. Sara, you are far from dowdy. You are the most stunning woman I have ever seen. You radiate beauty and grace, strength and passion. You are unafraid to speak your mind nor are you afraid to take what life throws at you and throw it back at any naysayer in double the force. You are strong-willed, ferocious, kind, compassionate, and all around an amazing woman… To hear you speak of yourself so poorly i- it’s something I will not stand for.”

 

Sara didn’t know what to say to all that. Her mouth was agape and her eyes staring blankly at the man before her, unable to come up with a response to such bold words. So she did the only thing her still unthinking mind could come up with.

 

She surged forward, capturing his lips with her own, nearly knocking them both off his chair. He managed to steady them as his hands found their way to her back and held her close on instinct, his brain unable to process what was happening. He was here in Sara’s room with her on his lap, her lips pressed against his in a passionate and heated kiss the likes of which he’s never had before, and he was holding her in his arms as her own wound their way back around his neck.

 

Her fingers squeezed gently at the nape of his neck, nails scratching at his scalp beneath his closely shorn hair. Sara’s tongue darted out to lick at his lips, hoping for permission to enter that he more than willingly gave. For someone who hasn’t been known to court women in the past he certainly knew what he was doing with his tongue. God, what she wouldn’t give to make this last forever, to just stay here with him… or maybe move this to the bed, shedding layer after layer. She was nothing less than absolutely certain he would have a magnificent body underneath every stitch of clothing he wore daily.

 

Suddenly the ship shook as the sound of a cannon came from above, startling them both to part.

 

“What the hell was that?” Sara asked.

“Nothing good,” Leonard replied, gently pulling her off of his lap to head above deck and check on the situation.

“Harrison, what do we got?”

“Pirates, and I’ll give you one guess who,” Harrison answered the captain, passing him the eyeglass.

“Scudder. Damn that man. Doesn’t he know better by now than to mess with us?”

“Evidently, he’s not the type to learn from past mistakes, a mark of an incredibly unintelligent man.”

“No doubt. Everyone, man the cannons, grab a gun and prepare to fight,” Leonard ordered as everyone scrambled to get their hands on a weapon or ready the cannons to fire back.

“What can I do?” Sara asked him.

“Well I’d ask you to head below deck where it’s safe but knowing how you can be I’m sure that’d be a waste of breath. So here, take this and just be careful. You might be able to handle someone using fists but when it comes to a gunfight best be prepared and if you can, keep your distance and stay close to something that can shield you from harm,” Leonard replied as he handed her his own pistol.

“Got it, and Leonard?”

“Ye-” he tried to respond before his lips were cut off by hers.

“You be careful too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think down below! Sorry it's been so long since the last update.


	9. Attack of the Rogues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING IN SO LONG! I got too busy with schoolwork and then once school was over I needed some more time to get my creative juices flowing again so again, I apologize for taking so long! I hope you enjoy!

It didn’t take long for Scudder and his crew of Rogues to board the SS Ice-Breaker. Michael managed to corner Marcus Mardon at the bow of the ship and was about to blast him over the railing when Joseph hit Marcus’s brother, Clyde, square in the chest, killing him on sight.

 

“NO!” Marcus cried out as he lunged at Michael to push past in a futile attempt at saving his younger brother.

 

Nevertheless, as Marcus ran past him, Michael took the opportunity to shoot him in the back.

 

On the other side of the ship, Scudder’s woman, Rosa, was shooting off her gun left and right while ducking, dodging, and maneuvering in ways that left Harrison’s head spinning. Rosa was just about to sneak up on him and shoot him dead, when Sara caught her off-guard and stabbed her in the side from behind. Rosa cried out in pain and turned to attack her. She was no match for Sara who caught the woman’s wrist as she tried to aim her gun at her head and twisted it before head-butting the other blonde, knocking her out cold.

 

“Thanks,” Harrison said as he looked at Sara in shock.

 

Sara then took Rosa’s gun and fired it at Shawna who was sneaking up on Harrison from behind. Harrison turned to see Shawna fall over the side.

 

“You’re welcome,” Sara replied as she stepped past him.

 

Bartholomew, Wallace, and Jesse found themselves high up on the sails with Hartley, Bivolo, and James below. With a nod and a smirk, the three jumped down from the rafters and landed square on the three pirates, knocking them out instantly. They turned to each other to high five when their captain called out:

 

“Less high-fiving. More fighting!”

“Yes sir!” Bartholomew called back.

 

Soon more pirates joined the fray with Ronald being confronted by both Tony Woodward and Hannibal Bates. Ronald tried to fire his gun only to find it was jammed.

 

“Looks like someone’s out of luck,” Tony remarked.

“Yeah,” Caitlin replied before ramming a scalpel into one of Tony’s arteries before turning to do the same to Hannibal, “You.”

“That’s my girl,” Ronald smiled at his wife.

 

Brie Larvan found herself on the wrong end of Jefferson’s gun when she tried to shoot at Martin. _Nobody_ shoots at Martin.

 

Leonard was fending off swarms of pirates in a feeble attempt to stop them from boarding his ship, but they just kept coming. Luckily for him, Sara swooped in to save the day; literally.

 

As she swung down from the beams; God knows how she managed to get up there in the first place; to knock three men overboard Leonard had to admit she never ceased to amaze him.

 

“Thought you could use a hand,” Sara mentioned as she joined him in shooting at the interlopers.

“Looked more like a foot to me, but thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

 

Just as Sara said that, they heard Iris scream out in pain as Jake “Deathbolt” Simmons shot her in the shoulder just before she could fire her weapon at Kyle Nimbus.

 

“Oh that’s not good.”

“What’s not good?” Sara asked Leonard.

“Bartholomew’s going to be pissed. And trust me, you don’t want to see him when he’s pissed.”

 

As a matter of fact, Bartholomew was indeed pissed and ran at breakneck speeds to reach his wife before the pirate could finish her off. He attacked with such ferocity, punching the other man in rapid-fire in the gut before giving him a hard punch square to the jaw, knocking out one of the man’s teeth.

 

“Whoa,” Sara remarked in surprise that the meek Bartholomew Allen could be so fierce.

“Yeah, word to the wise, never cross him,” Leonard remarked before finally catching a glimpse of Scudder, who was trying to make off with a bag of pilfered money and goods.

 

He rushed off to stop him dead in his tracks.

 

“Not so fast, Scudder,” Leonard said pointing his gun at the other man who responded by dropping his bag to quickly unsheathe his sword and slice the gun from Leonard’s hand.

 

That was Scudder for you. He was the kind of guy who although he appreciated guns, found the art of sword fighting all the more enjoyable; and more pirate-like. Leonard quickly drew his own blade, knowing Scudder all too well for his liking and began to fight in close quarters combat with the Rogue. No matter how Leonard tried to defend against Scudder’s blade he still found himself being forced back at every turn.

 

“Give it up, Snart. You know you’re no match to me with a sword.”

“Maybe not,” he responded before nodding, “but she is.”

 

Scudder turned to find Sara Lance striking out at him with a blade of her own. He managed to block her attack as well as Snart’s own when he tried to take advantage of the opening. Scudder found himself being forced back with every parry and lunge Sara and Leonard threw his way. He was backed up against the railing and about to meet his end when he acted quickly enough to get a stab in with his blade.

 

“NO!” Sara cried out as she saw the blood now soaking Leonard’s clothes.

 

That was when she sliced at Scudder’s neck, lobbing his head off in one clean swipe, before turning her attentions to Leonard.

 

“Leonard! Leonard, come on stay with me,” Sara begged as she applied pressure on Leonard’s wound.

“Move,” Caitlin ordered as she rushed to assist with the gaping wound as the fighting died down.

 

Leonard wasn’t quite sure what happened after Scudder stabbed him, all he knew was that he was alive, in his bed… and wet.

 

He shot upright and saw that Sara was there, changing out his bandages and cleaning his wound with a wet cloth while she was at it.

 

“Sara? What happened?”

“You lost a bit of blood. Fortunately, Caitlin was able to save your life. That was yesterday.”

“Damn, I’ve been out that long?”

“Mm-hmm. Now just lie back. Caitlin might be an excellent doctor but I’d rather not risk your stitches ripping. Besides, the wound still needs cleaning.”

“Um… okay,” Leonard said timidly as he finally realized that Sara was in his room, on his bed, touching his bare skin in such an intimate way it sent shivers down his spine even as she gently rubbed the cloth on him.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. I just…”

“Just what?”

 

He sighed before responding.

 

“I just didn’t want you to see me like this.”

“See you hurt, you mean?”

“See me bare, without clothes, half-naked, whatever you wish to call it.”

“Oh. I see. And here I thought with how wonderfully you described me yesterday before the fighting that you might actually…”

 

Leonard regarded her as he realized that she wanted him as much as he had wanted her.

 

“Never mind. Just forget it. I was wrong,” Sara said, turning to leave before Leonard grabbed her wrist, causing her breath to catch.

“You weren’t wrong,” he said softly.

“I want you, Sara. I always have. I just never dreamed that someone like you could ever want… someone like me. And even if you could the thought of you seeing me like this, my scars bared completely so that you can judge me for them… I never wanted you to look at me like I was some sort of mon-” Leonard tried to finish his sentence only to be cut off as Sara turned back to face him and crash her lips to his as she framed his face.

“Don’t you dare say that you’re a monster. I know what a monster is and you, Leonard Snart, are no monster. A monster is what gave you these scars, not the one who bares them.”

“What? What do you- How do you know-”

“I saw. When I was seven I heard a scream coming from your family cabin. I went and looked through the window to see your father hurting you and your sister. I didn’t even know that a parent could be so cruel to their kids before that. I saw how brave you were and how much you cared for your sister and I tried to help by getting my father but even then… whatever help we could give… it didn’t last long and I am so sorry you had to endure that,” Sara said as tears started to drip down her face.

 

Leonard placed a hand on her cheek and wiped away a tear with his thumb. Sara turned her head to press a kiss to his palm.

 

“That was the day I first fell in love with you,” she whispered to Leonard’s disbelief.

“I fell in love with you the day you saved my life in that river. I tried to find you and thank you for what you did but when I saw you stand up to Scudder and Dillon I had never seen anything so incredible in all my life. I spent years afterwards sketching your likeness into countless books. I never once dreamt that you had ever seen me… You saw me before I even knew you?”

 

Sara nodded with a smile on her face.

 

“I started to write poems about you after I first saw you.”

 

They shared a small laugh at the ridiculousness of how they spent their lives in love with one another, too afraid to admit it out of fear of a rejection they never would have received. After that they stared each other in the eye, slowly drifting closer and closer to one another before their lips met again in tender passion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, so sorry for taking so long to update. Let me know what you thought down below!


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